Condenser apparatus



June 7, 1949. A. I. PONOMAREFF 2,472,615

- CONDENSER APPARATUS Filed Sept. 26, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 i wmuzssnzs:'36 V "WEN-19R U,\,U flleacanderlllqznanwreay BY smzm ATTORN EY J 1949-A. l. PONOMAREFF v2,472,615

CONDENSER APPARATUS Filed Sept. 26, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORWITNESSES:

ATTORNEY June 7, 1949- A. l. PONOMAREFF 2,472,615

CONDENSER APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 26, 1947 file-mangerATTORNEY Patented June 7, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONDENSERAPPARATUS Application September 26, 1947, Serial No.'776,35'9

The invention relates to marine condensers and hires for an object toprovide an improved circulating water scoop system therefor.

A more particular object of the invention is to provide an inlet scoopconstruction taking the place of the usual scoop, conduit, and inletwaterbox arrangement and having a passage which dlvergesirom its inletend at'the surfaceof the ship to its outlet end disposed adjacent to thecondenser inlet tube plate.

Another object of the invention is to provide inlet scoop and overboarddischarge structures connected to the ends of 'a surface condenser shelland wherein the structures and the shell are each of a sectionconiormingto the outline shape of the tube plate or tube bank throughoutwith the inlet scoop structure having a passagewhich diverges from theinlet end thereof to its outlet end adjacent to the inlet tube plateand'the overboard discharge structure has a passage which converges fromits inlet adjacent to the outlet tube plate to its outlet at thesurfaceof the shin.

A scoop-circulating system uses the relative velocity between the ship'and'the boundary layer to force water through the condenser tubes, andthe objective is,-of course, to prcvide'a-maximum head for this purposewith the least possible .disturbance past the ship. In accordance withthe present invention, to provide theminimum flow area, the throat orinlet area of the scoop pas- Sage'is proportioned to pass the requiredquantity of circulating water at a mean velocity corresponding "to thewater velocity relative to the ship in the affected portions of theboundary layer. Assuming the shipsspeed to be 40 knots, the meanvelocity through the throat area of the scoop passage may be about 45feet per second; and, to obtain the maximum quantity of water "flowingthrough thecondenser tubes, the scoop passage beyond the throat, andincluding the water box or discharge portion thereof, must beproportioned for uniform reduction of water velocity from 45 feet-persecond at the throat to the order of two or three feet per second at thetube entrance. To produce this large reduction in water velocity in arelatively short distance without undue turbulence or eddying, suddenchanges in area at the inlet to the condenser, or along-the scoop"passage, should be avoided. The improved scoop, therefore, has apassage whose flow area gradually increases from the inlet to the outletat the inlet tube sheet, and the passage is preferablyof a cross sectionconsistent with the geometrical shape of the '2 tube plate throughoutits length, for example, rectangular. Losses are further minimized byhaving the discharge water box formed as a converging nozzle passageproportioned to produce uniform Velocity" distribution in the waterbeingdischarged overboard. In addition to rectangular formation of thescoop,'*to provide for a minimum height "in marine practice consistentwith location .of waterline, the condenser itself is preferably oirectangular section, and the overboard dischargenozzle passageis alsopreferably rectangular. Therefore, not only do the flow areas graduallyincrease and gradually decrease, but thereisno'transition fromrectangular to circular flow areas'and vice .versa, in consequence Ofwhich the entering velocity is, gradually transformed .into pressure andpressure is gradually transformed'into velocity .without disturbance dueeither tosuddenchanges in area or totransition from rectangular tocircular areas or vice versa.

In a marine plant, wherein each propeller shaft is driven-byahigh-pressure and a lowpressure turbine disposed side-by-side, acondenser forleach power-developing unit may be arranged athwartshiptolsave space-and to provide .for tube removal. As the present inventioncontemplates thlsarrangement of condenser, not only must the scoop be ofrectangular section andgradually increasingin flow area, but, from theinlet, it must extend upwardly and rearwardly andlbe curved outwardlyathwartslnp in a gradual manner so as to minimize turning losses.

Furthermore, in accordance with the present invention, .the scoop, thecondenser shell, and the overboard discharge conduit are fabricated fromplate material; and,-in this connection, the body of the scoop iscomprised by four plates which taper in width so that,.when theyarejoined at their edgeathey provide a .passageof suitable divergence.Three of .the plates are curved by rolling and the. remaining plate iswarped so that when the platesare joined the passage extends upwardlyand rearwardly and is curved outwardly.

Accordingly, a further object of the invention is to provide an inletscoopstructure having a passage which gradually increases inflow areafrom the inlet to the outlet arranged adjacent to one .of "the tubesheets.

Another object of the invention is to provide an inlet scoop, asurfacecondenser, and an overboard discharge conduit, each of rectangularsection to avoid changes from rectangular to,

circular areas or vice versa and wherein the passage of the scoopgradually increases in flow area from its inlet to its outlet.

A further object of the invention is to provide a marine condenser withmeans for circulating water therethrough and including a scoop structurehaving a passage which diverges from the inlet to the outlet adjacent tothe inlet-end tube sheet and which extends rearwardly and upwardly andis curved outwardly to aline its outlet with the tube sheet.

The foregoing and other objects are effected by the invention as will beapparent from the following description and claims taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, inwhich:

Figure 1 is a plan or outline view showing a pair of condensers for amarine propulsion plant wherein each condenser is provided with theimproved water-circulating means;

Figure 2 is an athwartship section showing one of the improved condenserarrangements;

Figure 3 is an isometric diagrammatic view of the improved condenser andinlet scoop and overboard discharge structures;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along the line IV-IV of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic fragmentary view showing parts in section,the section of the scoop inlet portion being taken along the line V-'-Vof Figures 1 and 2; and

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the scoop body portion.

In Figure 1, a pair of power-developing units Ill, l0 drive thepropeller shafts H, il. Each power-developing unit or installationcomprises a high-pressure turbine l2 and a low-pressure turbine l4, bothof which are connected, through reduction gearing, at [5, to theassociated propeller shaft ll, Each unit or installation also includes asurface condenser I! for the lowpressure turbine exhaust. The presentinvention is concerned more particularly with the condenser and themeans for circulating water therethrough.

The condensers I! are arranged athwartship underneath the turbines; and,as one installation is positioned forwardly of the other, adequate spaceexists for tube removal and accommodation of the circulating-waterequipment.

Each condenser ll includes a shell i8 encom passing tubes 19 whose endsare attached to the inlet and outlet tube sheets 28 and 2! carried bythe ends of the shell, the inlet tube sheet 26 being disposed at theinboard end of the condenser. An inlet scoop structure, at 23, supplieswater for flow through the tubes and an overboard discharge structure,at 24, provides for water issuing from the tubes being dischargedoverboard.

The scoop structure, at 23, includes an inlet or scoop portion connectedby an expansion joint 26 to a body portion 21 having a flange 28engaging the adjacent tube sheet 29 to clamp the latter in place withrespect to the shell in the same manner as is done by means of theconventional water box. A shut-off valve 29 and a check valve 30 arearranged between the inlet portion 25 and the body portion 2?, the checkor non-return valve being arranged to close against reverse flow. Asshown in Figure 5, the scoop inlet section extends through the inner andouter walls and 36 of the hull structure, the inlet end portion of suchsection being inclined at a suitably small angle with respect to theouter wall so as to provide an elongated inlet opening 3t flush with thebottom surface of the ship. A strainer plate 38 is located at the inletopening and a splitter vane 39 having one end attached to the strainerplate extends lengthwise of the inlet portion. To promote the easyingress of water with a minimum of turbulence and without the use ofstructure extending out from the surface of the ship, the rear wall 40of the inlet section 25 is joined to the hull outer wall 36 by a roundedjunction portion 4| and the front wall 42 is curved at 43 so as to be intangent relation to the hull outer Wall.

The overboard discharge structure, at 24, includes a body portion 44connected through an expansion joint 45 and a shut-off valve 4% to thedischarge portion 41. v

The scoop structure has a passage 48 which diverges from its throat G9at its inlet to its outlet end 50 adjacent to the inboard tube sheet 26.The scoop structure extends upwardly and rearwardly from its inlet endand is curved outwardly to aline its outlet end with the inboard tubesheet.

As the scoop passage diverges in the direction of flow and has itsoutlet end conforming to the adjacent tube sheet, there are no suddenchanges or transitions in area resulting in eddies or losses. Further,as the passage is gradually curved to bring the outlet end intoalinement with the adjacent tube sheet, sharp bends are avoided, andthis, coupled with avoidance of sudden area changes, result in a passageconducive to effective flow with uniform pressure distribution and theabsence of dead spaces.

The inlet scoop and the overboard discharge structures, as well as theshell, are all of rectangular section, in consequence of which not onlydoes the construction as a whole lend itself readily to fabrication but,as transition from a circular section to a rectangular section or viceverse is avoided, energy losses and eddying are further reduced; and, inthis connection, the nest of tubes is of rectangular transverseformation and the rectangular outlet end of the inlet scoop passageconforms to the tube grouping at the adjacent tube sheet.

The inlet scoop and the overboard discharge structures are eachfabricated from plate material to provide an inlet scoop passage ofgradually increasing flow area and an overboard discharge passage ofgradually decreasing flow area to secure uniform velocity distribution.The inlet scoop body section 2! is fabricated from four plates 52, 53,54 and 55 which taper in width to provide, when joined, for therequisite diver-- gency. The plates 52, 53 and 54 are rolled to therequired curvature and the plate 55 is warped so that when the platesare joined at the corners, there will result an inlet scoop structurewhich extends upwardly and rearwardly and is curved outwardly to bringits passage outlet into alinement with the inboard tube sheet. Likewise,the overboard discharge passage body portion 24 is formed by four curvedplates 56, which are tapered outwardly and are joined at the corners todefine an overboard discharge passage constituting a well proportionedconverging nozzle which will produce uniform velocity distribu tion atthe diffusing section 4?.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the replacement of theconventional water boxes at the ends of the shell by inlet scoop andoverboard discharge structures provide inlet and outlet passages which,respectively, diverge from the surface of the ship to the inlet end ofthe condenser without sudden area changes and con- 'aevaeit 5 verge fromthe outlet end of the latter to the surface of the ship without suddenarea changes, whereby more effective flow conditions are secured.Avoidance of turbulence or eddying is furthermore minimized due to thefact that the inlet scoop structure, the condenser shell, and

the outlet scoop structure are all of rectangular section, wherebytransition from a circular to a rectangular area or vice versa isavoided. These features provide for more eifective and efficientcirculation with the result that a given circulation is made possiblewith a scoop structure inlet section having a minimum throat area,thereby reducing to a minimum modification of the ships structurerequired for accommodation of the scoop.

While the invention has been shown in but one form, it will be obviousto those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but issusceptible of various changes and modifications without departing fromthe spirit thereof.

What is claimed is:

In a propulsion plant for a ship, a surface condenser and extendingathwartship; said surface condenser including a shell which isrectangular in cross section, rectangular inboard and outboard tubeplates connected to the ends of the shell, and a rectangular nest oftubes carried by the tube plates; means for circulating water throughthe tubes including inlet scoop and overboard discharge structures; saidinlet scoop structure having a passage of rectangular section and whoseinlet end is open to the exterior of the ship at the bottom thereof andwhose outlet end is adjacent to the inboard tube plate; said inlet scoopstructure extending upwardly and rearwardly and curved outwardly toaline the outlet of its passage with the inboard tube plate; said scooppassage having its iiow area divergent from its throat at the inlet endto the outlet end thereof, whereby entering water may flow therethroughwithout encountering sudden enlargements in flow area to provide forgradual transformation of velocity energy thereof into pressure energyfrom the inlet to the outlet ends; said inlet scoop structure includingfour plates which taper in width and have their edges joined to form thediverging rectangular scoop passage and three of said plates havingrolled curvature and the remaining plate being warped so that joiningthereof at their edges results in a passage which extends upwardly andrearwardly and is curved outwardly.

ALEXANDER I. PONOMAREFF.

REFERENCES CITED FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date France Mar. 16, 1875Number

